1. Have students write anonymously about their own prejudices. How did they acquire these prejudices? Who were the agents of socialization who taught them these ideas? Did they hear conflicting messages from different agents of socialization? What impact do students think these beliefs have had on their interactions with others? Do they have evidence to support their ideas? If students don’t have good evidence to support the particular ideas they hold, why do they continue to hold them? How do they feel about holding these prejudices? Are there particular costs (to themselves and others) involved? What stereotypes might others have about them, based on their group membership?

2. Have students write about their own prejudices and any acts of discrimination. Discuss the differences between prejudice and discrimination. Ask students to reflect on the prejudices they hold and whether they have acted based upon them in a discriminatory manner. Have students actively tried to re-socialize themselves to think differently about different types of people? Have they experienced a time when their beliefs changedd? What are the common themes that emerge from their experiences? Discuss them. [NOTE: You may want to collect student papers so at the end of the semester you can pass them back and students can reflect on how their ideas concerning race, ethnicity, class, and gender have changed.]

3. Ask students to write down all the ways that they believe people are separated by race, e.g. hair color and texture, skin tone, body types, language use, athletic ability. (NOTE: Many of these categories will be baseless and controversial, but the point of the assignment is to tease this thinking out of the students so that it can be confronted.) Ask them to make a chart of all these traits for each racial category. Encourage the students to speak honestly about their thoughts and to be specific and thorough with their charts. Once they have assembled their charts, ask them to use these charts on campus to categorize all the people they know and meet. When they return to class, ask them the following questions: did all the people in any given racial category share all the traits listed? Were there people who shared no traits of a given category, but whom they placed in that category anyway? Why? Were there some people whom they could not place in a category? Why? Ask them to reflect on the racial categories, given their experiment, and consider why race is a social construction. How can those categories be human inventions? (Try to get the students to see that the categories are both overly and under-deterministic of any group, and that they are arbitrary and ahistorical.) Ask the students to question how and why racial categories came to be in the first place. What might Weber, Marx, Lenski, and Collins say?

4. Have students write about their experiences with race. Ask students what race means. What does it mean to say race is a social construction? How do they make sense of the existence of race, if it is not biological? You might ask how they first became aware of the concept of race. Have they lived and worked in a diverse community? School? Workplace? How has their “race” affected your life or the life of their family members? Have them describe their most positive and negative experiences related to race.

5. Invite guest speakers to come speak to your class about issues of prejudice and discrimination. For example, you might ask members of the NAACP to join your class, or perhaps there’s a local coalition fighting for the rights of gays, American Indians,  or other minorities. Many groups exist to assist immigrants with their transition into U.S. life. Invite them to speak to your class.

6. Ask the students first to write down the key theorists presented in this chapter and their essential ideas. Then ask them, as a group, to discuss the differences between any two theorists. Then ask them to role-play one theorist and analyze the conditions of inequality in the U.S. For example, what would Marx, Weber, Patricia Hill Collins, and Gerhard Lenski say to one another about inequality in the U.S. if they got together for coffee?

7. Have students reflect on a situation in which they were a minority member. Did they attempt to “assimilate”? If so, how? If not, why not? Have them reflect on their feelings about the experience. Did they feel comfortable? If so, why? If not, why? How did others respond to them, positively or negatively? Did they see themselves as “other”? How does this relate to issues of race and ethnicity? Discuss.

8. Ask students to observe a public space for about 30 minutes, taking careful notes and paying particular attention to the matrix of domination. Can race be genderless? Classless? How is gender enacted differently by race, class, etc.? How is race enacted differently by gender, class, etc.?

9. Ask the students to discuss what Patricia Hill Collins means by intersectionality. How do gender, race, and class form a “matrix of domination”? Does this mean that racism, sexism, and classism are linked? If so, how? What does this mean about the status of privilege in our society? What does this mean about addressing inequality in our society? How does this make us focus on context when we talk about privilege and discrimination?

10. Discuss the realities of pervasive inequality, differential opportunity, injustice, and other kinds of unfairness, particularly as race, ethnicity, gender, and class inform these social problems. Ask students what they believe is the “real” America—a nation where tolerance and altruism dominate or a nation that is narrow minded and complacent about such problems? This is an opportunity to allow students to think critically and discuss the wide range of attitudes present in the United States.

11. One particularly salient issue is the controversy that surrounds self-naming or other-naming of minority groups. Ask students to develop a rubric of names for minority groups, making sure to include the highly positive as well as the highly disparaging ends of the spectrum. What do these names indicate about the “group feelings” (dominant/subordinate) toward a minority out-group? Are in-group names necessarily more positive? How have racial and ethnic slurs been reclaimed by minority groups in the climate of political correctness that dominated the end of the 20th century? Is this process of reclaiming always empowering and positive?

12. Ask students to identify or estimate what class segment they belong to and then to check their self-identification against Figure1.4 on page 12. Were their estimates correct? Higher? Lower? Discuss the fact that most Americans, regardless of actual class status, will self-identify as middle class. Why might this be the case?

13. Ask students about race as a biological concept. While mainstream television and particularly crime programming presents the idea that it is easy to “see” race in genetics, discuss the evolutionary reality that humans are one species with much genetic diversity, and the fact that race is predominantly socially defined. Why is there such a fascination about the forensic links between race and crime? What purpose does it serve to keep race in the forefront of the popular discussions and depictions of crime in the U.S.?

14. Ask students what the key differences are between prejudice and discrimination. Can a person hold prejudicial attitudes and not discriminate? Can a person discriminate without holding prejudicial attitudes? Discuss Robert Merton’s Typology of Prejudice and Discrimination.

1. Try to recreate an early Ellis Island “experience” by assigning students a particular ethnic background (e.g., Russian, Italian, Irish) or by having students draw lots for a particular ethnic category. Have students investigate what life would have been like for such an immigrant before coming to this country. At the next class period, have student sit close together with no room to stretch. Give them a “citizenship test” by asking them questions about U.S. history and government (both past and present). Call on individual students to answer questions about their native country and their intentions in the United States. You could assign some students to the role of “inspector” and have them check students’ teeth, hair, and so on. “Undesirable” students should have their clothing marked with an X. Have students reflect on and write about this experience, linking their thoughts to topics covered in the text. Use these reflective writings as the basis for discussion.

2. Have students use the Internet to investigate current immigration laws in the United States. Students might also read news articles and editorials that address immigration issues. What’s the overall tone of what students read? Do the articles seem “immigrant friendly”? Do they assume anything about immigrants? If so, what? Could students make sense of what they found? What are some of the barriers immigrants face, both structurally and culturally?

3. As a homework assignment, ask the students to assemble a “checklist” of U.S. citizenship. This would include the Constitutional Amendment that designates citizenship, and all the subsequent federal laws that help “clarify” citizenship. Ask the students what role race and ethnicity have historically played in the citizenship laws. Why is citizenship so important? How does citizenship connect the issue of immigration?

4. Have students contrast the poems “A Broadway Pageant” by Walt Whitman and “Unguarded Gates” by Thomas Bailey Aldrich. What differing ideas about ethnicity, race, immigration, and assimilation do students see in these poems? How do they feel about the different perspectives offered by the authors? Do they hear similar ideas today? You may also ask students to write a poem that reflects their feelings about these topics. Then, discuss them as a class.

5. Have students role-play as if they were different theorists presented in the chapter. For example, what would Gordon and Park say to one another about assimilation in the U.S. if they got together for dinner? What would Glazer and Moynihan, Greeley, Gallagher , and Steinberg say to one another? (NOTE: If you are going to assign role-playing activities, it’s best to give your students some advance warning so they can prepare key ideas.)

6. Have students find out about their family’s immigration history. If possible, students can interview relatives to learn what kinds of barriers they faced. For example, did their relatives need to learn a new language? Did they need to find a job? What was their economic standing when they came to the U.S.? Did they have family members or other forms of support here to assist them? Why did they decide to come to the U.S.?

7. Have students write about and discuss a time when they tried to assimilate into a new group or situation (e.g., a sorority or fraternity, their college dorm, a new workplace). What was it like for them? What feelings did they have? Did they face any resistance and, if so, how did they deal with it? What were their biggest barriers to integration and how did they overcome them? How does their experience provide insight into what it might be like for an immigrant coming to the U.S.?

8. Ask the students to talk openly about current immigration issues in the U.S. Ask them to think about why immigration is important to the U.S. now, as it was in the past. What is different about immigration now compared to in the early 20th century? Does the U.S. have a duty to allow immigrants to enter the country? If so, which immigrants and under what circumstances? If not, why not? What do immigrants contribute to our society? What would be the consequences of ending all immigration?

9. Ask the students to discuss the idea of a national language in the U.S. Should we have a national language? If so, what language should it be and why? What purpose does a national language serve? What are the benefits of a national language? What are the downsides to having a national language? How does this play a role in the current issues revolving around immigration?

10. Ask students to define assimilation, including detailing what the “traditional” model of assimilation entails. How is this “melting-pot” theory limiting when assessing the various forms of assimilation? Does the pluralist or multicultural model solve the problems of the melting-pot? Why or why not? Can students think of other metaphors that might better capture the ways that immigrants assimilate into U.S. culture? Do we need different models to discuss the ways that different groups experience incorporation?

11. Ask students to discuss the differences between enclave minority groups and middleman minority groups. What are the benefits of each status? What downsides do each have?

12. Is the United States becoming more pluralist in policy and/or attitudes? Have students discuss contemporary events where race, ethnicity, and immigration status have had either a positive or negative impact on the people involved. Some examples could include the trial of George Zimmerman, the shooting of Michael Brown and subsequent social unrest in Ferguson, MO, and the ongoing national debate about undocumented immigration, the Dream Act, and the allotment of social services to people who are immigrants.

13. Have students do some research about how immigrant populations have changed over the last 200 years. What factors have encouraged some groups to immigrate to the U.S. and inhibited other groups? How is the immigrant of today different from an immigrant at the turn of the 20th century? How do assimilation and integration work differently for immigrants today?

14. Have students discuss the concept of ethnic succession and prepare a narrative or graphic to describe how this process works. Which groups, in migrating to the U.S. “first,” wound up at the top of the ethnic “pile”? Which groups, although they migrated early, were denied the ability to climb the ladder of ethnic succession? What role does class status at the time of migration play in determining this process?

15. Have students discuss the concept of a “twilight of white ethnicity,” found on pages 61 and 62. How does this concept match their experiences of race and ethnicity in the United States? Do they believe “whiteness” will disappear as a racial and/or ethnic category sometime in the future? When? And why or why not?

1. Often students may generalize when talking about minority group members. For example, a student might say, “All the Mexicans in my town drive low riders and whistle at girls.” Open a discussion about such statements. How do the students know the people they observed are Mexican American? Which Mexican Americans act this way? Do Mexican American women whistle at girls? Do gay Mexican Americans whistle at girls? Which Mexican American men supposedly engage in this behavior—old men, gay men, upper class men, lower class men, etc.? In what particular context do they supposedly drive low riders and whistle at girls—at church, at the grocery store, at school? While it is not unreasonable to think that some Mexican Americans might drive low riders and whistle at girls, what is incorrect about such sweeping generalizations? How else might students explain what these other students seem to have observed? For example, what students may have attributed to race may indeed reflect other issues such as gender, class, situation, etc. How might what they “saw” have been altered by their preconceived notions of certain minority groups?

2. Ask your students to write a five minute reflection on how they would adjust to moving permanently to a foreign country. What values would be in conflict with their new homeland? How would they address these conflicts? How would they get employment? With whom would they gather (people from their new homeland, or from the old one)? How would they find the clothes and foods they like? How would they deal with the prejudice of those around them? After writing this reflection, have them break into small groups, discuss their thoughts, and then ask them as an entire class to apply what they have discussed to the situations of those who have immigrated to this country.

3. Discuss or debate which theoretical approaches best explain prejudice: personality-centered approaches, culture-based approaches, or power-culture theories. What reasons do students have for their decisions? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each theory? How might understanding these theories help guide policy makers dealing with issues of prejudice and discrimination? Or, how might they use what they know to create social change on campus or in their communities in regards to prejudice and discrimination?

4. Ask your students, “Are human beings always aware of the prejudice they project?” Then ask them to consider how policies might be “hidden” means of discrimination. How can people learn to be more tolerant? Are there specific strategies that can teach people to abandon these sorts of behaviors? Does a person’s mind (prejudice) have to necessarily change first?

5. Discuss a recent event from the perspective of prejudice and discrimination. For example, the Sean Bell shooting and the acquittal of the police involved will allow discussion of the prejudice and discrimination of various groups.

6. Ask students to identify the different forms of prejudice and to discuss its different dimensions. Have them identify the main theories of prejudice and explain the relevant research concerning each form.

7. Ask students to identify how race intersects with both gender and class. How do these intersections critically influence how different groups, both dominant and minority, experience racial and ethnic marginalization?

8. Have students identify the two dominant theoretical perspectives on group competition and prejudice. Then, have them identify the strengths and weaknesses of each perspective, and to discuss how the questions asked about race and other kinds of inequality determine which theoretical perspective is most effective. Lastly, is there a way to reconcile the differences and utilize both approaches to address the same questions?

9. Talk about what the author calls the “vicious cycle” of prejudice in the United States. How does culture work to encourage the persistence of prejudicial attitudes?

10. What are social distance scales? Ask students to think about ways this concept can be seen at work in their own lives. What situational influences increase social distance or lessen it?

11. Ask students to discuss the key differences between “traditional” racism and “modern” racism. Why has “traditional” racism declined? Which appears to be less difficult to confront and eliminate, “traditional” or “modern” prejudice? Why?

12. Ask students to discuss what the legal limitations on discrimination are. What kinds of discrimination are against the law? What kinds are legal? Has the law got it right? Should more elements be considered when deciding policy on discrimination or should some of these elements be taken out of the law?

13. Ask students to think about a time when they have disliked another person on sight. Can they think of why they had such a strong reaction? Do they consider their reaction to be prejudicial? Are some of their reasons disguising possible prejudices? How can they overcome those instant reactions?

1. Have students locate and read several slave narratives and discuss them, relating what they have read in the narratives to concepts and theories offered in the text. Online sources vary but one currently useful source that offers sound files and useful links can be found at the University of Virginia. See http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/wpa/wpahome.html. The Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov/) also offers online slave narratives (as well as information about other topics relevant to the text such as immigration).

2. Have students look up information on Bacon’s Rebellion from 1676. Ask them to explain how Bacon’s Rebellion is the beginning of what W.E.B. DuBois called the color line. How did black and white servants and workers live before the rebellion, and what changed afterward? How does this suggest that race is a proxy, or place holder, for class?

3. Have students investigate contemporary slavery around the globe, perhaps assigning each student or group of students a different country to study. What societal dynamics do these situations have in common with slavery in the United States?

4. If you’re located in an area of the United States that is the site of an existing plantation, suggest that students tour the facilities (or take them on a field trip). Or you might see if someone from the plantation will speak to your class. Find out about the labor-intensive work on the plantations as well as other aspects of plantation. Does your tour guide discuss slave life? If not, raise relevant issues. It might be interesting to see how this is handled.

5. Have students watch the film Amistad and relate what they see to what they’ve learned in the text about stereotypes, the dynamics of slavery, the Noel and Blauner hypotheses, etc. Have them investigate the real Amistad, possibly using information from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration web site (http://www.archives.gov/). How does reality stack up with the film version?

6. Watch and discuss Africans in America: America’s Journey Through Slavery (PBS). How does this film series illustrate the horror of slavery? How do they explain the importance of kinship, religion, and culture in shaping African Americans’ lives under slavery?

7. Watch The Color Purple, paying particular attention to issues of gender and race. How do Celie’s, Alfonso’s, Shugg’s, Albert’s, Nettie’s, and Pa’s experiences relate to the text? In what ways does the film appear to be accurate? How does it seem distorted? How is what Nettie saw in the Olinka tribe similar to what she witnessed in the U.S.? How do Pa and Albert treat women in the film and how does this relate to what students learned concerning the treatment of women at that time?

8. Read “Ain’t I a Woman?” delivered by Sojourner Truth in 1851 at the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio. Why did she need to ask, “Ain’t I a Woman?” Discuss her ideas about the intersection of gender and race and how they created unique positions for women and men. What were the effects of gendered, racialized thinking on work, families, policy, and so on? It is reported that some suffragists didn’t want Sojourner Truth to speak for fear that the abolitionist ideas could hinder the success of the suffragist movement. Why might that be? Do we see parallels today of social movement organizations maintaining distance from one another rather than coming together to fight oppression? Is this effective? Why or why not? [NOTE: You may want to revisit this idea later in the text. For example, how do current stereotypes of black and white women, and black and white men differ from one another? How do they create a sense of multiple femininities and masculinities? What are the effects of this type of thinking at work, in families, in policy, and so on?]

9. Examine newspaper articles and websites about migrant laborers. Discuss their contact situation and current dominant-minority relations in terms of the Noel and Blauner hypotheses and compare their situation to that of African Americans, Mexican Americans, and American Indians.

10. Ask students what the term “slavery” brings to their minds. Do they think countries built on slavery should pay compensation to the descendants of the slaves? Do they agree or disagree with the idea that families that are rich now because their ancestors had slaves owe something to the descendants of the slaves? Why or why not?

11. Ask students what they know about contemporary slavery or human trafficking. Have students discuss where and who might be involved in these kinds of activities. What are the dominant forms of contemporary slavery? After an initial discussion, provide them with some statistical resources about contemporary human trafficking. A good source can be found at https://www.freetheslaves.net or at http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com.

12. Ask students if they believe that slavery is fundamentally wrong and to explain their reasoning. Make sure to point out that many commodities would be considerably more expensive without the people who work for near to nothing around the world. Would they be willing to pay higher prices if it meant an end to such poor wages and conditions for labor? Would this affect prices around the world? What segments of the global population do they think might resist efforts to end global labor abuses and human trafficking?

13. There are some critical differences between people who are trafficked today and slaves in the past, particularly in the United States. Have students research these differences and discuss how conditions are better/worse now as compared to in the past?.

14. Throughout history, some countries have addressed the issue of individual freedom in their governing documents. Have students discuss the priority that nations put on freedom after researching national constitutions or laws. As a class, examine some of these documents and identify how each addresses human freedom. Was slavery allowed when this document was first issued? Is it allowed now? To what degree, if any, is freedom portrayed as a basic, guaranteed right? Conclude with an examination of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and discuss its focus. Ask students why they think that slavery still exists, in spite of national and international declarations that promote individual freedom?

15. The film 12 Years a Slave is a cinematic adaptation of the book of the same name written by Solomon Northup, a free African American man kidnapped in Washington DC in 1841 and sold into slavery. Have students watch this film and use it as a springboard to discuss the common-sense notion that slavery was a thing of “the South.” Where else in the United States was slavery practiced? When was it outlawed in some Northern states? ] What happened to people like Northup once they were enslaved?

16. For many African Americans, the end of slavery did not bring about economic prosperity or social equality. Discuss with students the Freedman’s Bureau as it operated for approximately 10 years after the end of the Civil War. What was it designed to do? Where does the phrase (still used in the South today) “forty acres and a mule” come from? Why was the Freedman’s Bureau dissolved? What parts of American society agitated for its dissolution and why?

1. Watch Goin’ to Chicago (California Newsreel) about the Great Migration of African Americans to the North. How does this film illustrate ideas from the text, including “voting with one’s feet,” sharecropping, continued discrimination, and competition with other ethnic groups?

2. Ask your students to research one case of lynching in the South during the Jim Crow era. Ask them to write a one-page reflection on the case, describing the reasons given for the lynching, the photos, the aftermath in the white and black communities, and any contemporary discussion of the case. Have them then gather in small groups to share their research. Finally, as a class, ask them to consider how such actions would have affected African Americans then and in subsequent years.

3. Have students role play as if they were Richard Kahlenberg, Orlando Patterson, and Thomas Sowell. What would a conversation between them sound like in regards to Affirmative Action? What are their key ideas and what’s their evidence? (NOTE: If you are going to assign role-playing activities, it is best to give your students some advance warning so they can prepare key ideas.)

4. Investigate examples of Jim Crow legislation in different states. What different areas did these laws cover (e.g., using different bibles in courtrooms, not playing checkers together, not being buried in the same cemeteries). Discuss them.

5. Listen to and read  Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speeches (e.g., “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” “I Have a Dream,” “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop”—available from the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia). Ask your students to analyze them in terms of concepts from the text and in relation to present day social movement activism. Discuss.

6. Have students investigate key legal cases dealing with affirmative action. What key themes do they see? Does the attitude toward affirmative action appear to be changing and, if so, how? One good site to reference is the resource page of the American Association for Affirmative Action at http://www.affirmativeaction.org/resources/index.html. How do students evaluate what they find here and on other Web sites?

7. Recently several social movement organizations seeking justice for maquiladora workers have emerged. Ask students to examine the ideas and practices of these organizations. Two groups raising concerns include Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras (http://www.coalitionforjustice.net/) and Global Trade Watch http://www.citizen.org/trade/). How are the ideas and practices of these groups similar to those used by other organizations and movements (e.g., Red Power, Chicanismo, NAACP). Do students expect these groups to be successful in reaching their goals? Why or why not?

8. Healey outlines two broad themes as the foundation for Chapter 5. Have students evaluate the argument of these themes, either by devising pros and cons, by comparing and contrasting the experiences of different minority groups, or by debate.

9. “The nature of dominant-minority group relations at any point in time is largely a function of the characteristics of the society as a whole. The situation of a minority group will reflect the realities of everyday social lives and particularly the subsistence technology” (p. 102).

10. “The contact situation—the conditions under which groups first come together—is the single most significant factor in the creation of minority-group status. The nature of the contact situation has long-lasting consequences for the minority group and the extent of racial or ethnic stratification, the levels of racism and prejudice, the possibilities for assimilation and pluralism, and virtually every other aspect of the dominant-majority relationship” (p. 102).

11. Discuss the historical roots of slavery in the United States and ask students to consider the following questions: Were Africans inevitable victims of slavery? Why or why not? What peoples had the controlling interest in slaves going to the “New World” at the beginnings of slavery in the U.S.? Why were such large numbers of people required? Were people from any continent besides Africa tapped as slaves? Why weren’t other groups good candidates for slavery in the U.S.?

12. Have students compare and contrast the Noel Hypothesis (p. 104–105) and the Blauner Hypothesis (p. 105–106) as ways to understand the contact situation. Which hypothesis do they find more compelling? Which has the greatest explanatory power in terms of the historical record? Can they think of a third hypothesis that is equally powerful in understanding the contact situation?

13. Ask students what they know about the resistance to slavery in the United States. Our culture has benefitted in critical ways from the abject oppression of slaves, including the development of gospel songs, which gave insider information to escaping slaves about roads to freedom such as the Underground Railway. Have students discuss the musical legacies of slavery, including  gospel, jazz, blues, and hip-hop as expressive forms. What other cultural legacies related to slavery has the present been gifted by the past?

14. Discuss the facts about slavery having a differential impact on men and women. The dominant form of the African American family in the 20th century was gynocentric: i.e. dominated by the mothers, aunts, and grandmothers. How was this family form given impetus through slavery? How has this family form been denigrated in public policy, particularly in welfare rules? Ask students what they see in public policy today that they also consider to be part of the legacy of slavery.

1. One of my students’ favorite activities is to analyze music. For this activity, go to www.youtube.com and pull up songs that might get students to reflect on themes of this chapter. Possible songs to analyze[1] include:

   • Public Enemy’s “Burn Hollywood Burn”
   • The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy—“Socio-genetic Experiment” and “Famous And Dandy (Like Amos ’n’ Andy)”
   • The Negro Problem—“Doubting Uncle Tom,” “Ghetto Godot,” and “Buzzing”
   • Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney’s “Ebony & Ivory”
   • James Brown—“I’m Black and I’m Proud”
   • Sly and Family Stone—“Everyday People”
   • Tracy Chapman—“Across the Lines”
   • Rage Against the Machine—“Sleep Now in the Fire” and “Take the Power Back” [NOTE: You might also have your students analyze the CD cover of The battle of Los Angeles. It is a powerful image about violence, the ghetto, defiance of “the system,” black-white relations.]
   • Coolio—“Gangsta’s Paradise”
   • US3—“Just Another Brother”
   • Bob Dylan—“The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol” and “Hurricane”
   • Stevie Wonder—“Pastime Paradise”
   • Bob Marley—“War”

   Ask your students to suggest other songs for exploration.

2. Watch films such as Miles of Smiles, Years of Struggle (California Newsreel) about the sleeping car porters or A. Philip Randolph: For Jobs and Freedom (PBS. VHS available from California Newsreel). How do the films expand on what students learned in the text?

3. Watch the popular film White Man’s Burden (Savoy Pictures), starring Danny Glover and John Travolta. In the film we see an alternate or reversed social reality where blacks are the “haves” and whites are the “have-nots.” How does the film portray life in the inner city, violence, stereotypes, structural barriers, discrimination, racism, prejudice, and so on? Why doesn’t Belafonte’s character think he is racist? Is he? What theories in the book would help us explain his position? If you are short on time, you may choose to watch only the first few minutes of the film. What do students think their lives would be like if their “roles” were reversed? Give students a few minutes to write down their ideas. Then, discuss them as a class.

4. Watch the first chapter of Eyes on the Prize covering the Montgomery bus boycotts. Why were these boycotts significant? What rules of engagement did the movement adhere to regarding civil disobedience?

5. Watch and discuss The Road to Brown—The Man Who Killed Jim Crow —(California Newsreel). How was the “separate but equal” educational mandate developed? What problems was it intended, on the surface, to address? What did it mean for African Americans and other minorities? What motivated the plaintiffs in the legal cases that led to Brown v. Board of Education? Why do you think the NAACP combined many legal cases into one case, rather than trying them on a case by case basis?

6. Watch Ethnic Notions, a film that explores racist images such as the coon, pickaninny, the mammy, the tom, the sambo, the brute, and the golliwog. How are the images constructed to produce a political outcome? How and why have they changed as society has changed? How did particular images legitimate social inequality? For example, how did the images of the Sambo and Mammy legitimate slavery? How did the images of the brute attempt to legitimate violence toward blacks? How did the image of the Mammy mock black women for breaking gender norms of U.S. society? How did the image of the coon mock the idea of “racial equality”? How do these images relate to contemporary stereotypes of blacks? For a more recent look at stereotypical images in modern mass media, you may wish to watch Color Adjustment (California Newsreel). You might also watch “Birth of a Nation” and discuss the ways it shaped the consciousness of many whites who watched it.

7. Have students explore a variety of racist images by visiting the cyber museum at Ferris State University. See http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/news/jimcrow/menu.htm. You may also wish to use a good internet search engine like Google to locate other racist images. What do students think about people who collect racist memorabilia such as mammy dolls and pickaninny salt and pepper shakers? Why would African Americans want to collect such items? Does the collector’s race matter? Why or why not?

8. Compare and contrast the lyrics of “Strange Fruit” (lyrics by Lewis Allan, originally sung by Billie Holiday) with the contemporary and revised version of “Strange Fruit” by Danja Mowf (from the album “Word Of Mowf”). How do both songs illustrate violence against African Americans? How has the “nature” of that violence changed according to both artists? What do the songs suggest about justice and the criminal justice system?

9. Watch Two Nations of Black America, a PBS feature narrated by Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. with Cornel West, Bill Wilson, and Orlando Paterson among others. How does this program illustrate diversity of opinion within the black community? How does it illustrate issues of social class? How does it expand on and differ from ideas in the text?

10. Ask students if segregation along racial lines still occurs in the United States. Have them then check their perceptions with the actual data on segregation in America. Some good sources for this data, as well as discussion about segregation, include www.NAACP.org, www.BlackPast.org, and http://americanhistory.si.edu/brown/history/1-segregated/segregated-america.html.

11. Ask students what they know about the 2 strongest African American social movements of the 20th century, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power Movement. Which do they know more about? Why would one movement receive more historical focus than the other? What are the fundamental differences between these two movements?

12. Have students select a famous “name” from the Civil Rights Movement and research the contributions of that person. Good online sources include:

• http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/par0int-1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movements_for_civil_rights
• http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement
• http://www.infoplease.com/spot/civilrightstimeline1.html
• http://americanhistory.about.com/od/civilrights/
• http://www.usatoday.com/topic/6bdfc1f8-cf8e-4589-baab-5c1b7c974f58/civil-rights-in-america/
• http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/Civil-Rights-Movement.aspx
• http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/Civil-Rights-Movement.aspx
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_civil_rights_leaders
• http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/02/civil_rights_leaders_you_should_know.html

Have students then do in-class presentations or research papers on the leaders they have researched.

1. Have students select a famous “name” from or event in which the Black Power movement was involved. Who were the major players? What contributions did they make? What was the movement focused on doing? How was the movement treated in the media? What got into the news and what didn’t in terms of what Black Power activists were up to? Good online sources include:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Power
• http://hoover.archives.gov/exhibits/africanamerican/blackpower/
• http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Black+Power+Movement
• http://www.ushistory.org/us/54i.asp
• http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-black-power.html
• http://www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/timeline/p_4.html
• http://library.uncg.edu/dp/crg/topicalessays/blackpowermovement.aspx
• http://socialistworker.org/2011/10/25/black-power-era
• http://www.biography.com/people/stokely-carmichael-9238629
• http://www.malcolmx.com/about/bio.html
• http://www.biography.com/people/huey-p-newton-37369
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._Rap_Brown
• http://www.biography.com/people/bobby-seale-9477529
• http://www.biography.com/people/miriam-makeba-9395996

1. Ask students to assess the situation of African Americans by decade from 1940 to 2010 (this decade) using the concepts of assimilation and pluralism to illustrate progress or setbacks. What significant changes have occurred in social, legal, and economic conditions?

2. In light of the shooting deaths of Trayvon Martin in Florida and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, what is the contemporary relationship between the criminal justice system and young African American males? What can be done to reduce the antagonism between the stakeholders? Why do young African American males continue to be the focus of law enforcement and the courts? Is there an economic foundation to the hyper-focus on this group as more criminal than any other?

3. Have students discuss the Culture of Poverty thesis. Is it relevant? Is it racist? Is it classist? Should it be used or abandoned in sociological investigations? Why or why not?

1. Depending on your location in the United States, ask your students if they have lived on, visited, driven through, or had any contact with Native American Indians who live on reservations. Ask those who have experiences to share them with the class. Now ask the students to compare their experiences on the reservations to experiences of other places of living in the United States—big cities, rural life, suburbs, etc. What is significantly different about the reservations?

2. Watch and analyze the film Smoke Signals (Buena Vista Home Entertainment), a film based in part on Sherman Alexie’s stories from The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven and Reservation Blues. The film garnered attention as the first full-length feature film written, directed, and performed by American Indians. What ideas from the text emerge throughout the film? How does the film use personal narrative to illustrate the social problems endemic to reservation life? What bits of cultural information are in-group humor and what does a person need to know about reservation life and Native American Indian culture to “get” them? (For instance, ask students why the characters Velma and Lucy drive their car in reverse. Although the transmission is broken, the car still works according to Rez philosophy).

3. Have students watch the PBS film series We Shall Remain. Ask them how the series confronts what they have been taught about the first contact between Europeans and American Indians. Given what they have learned, is it necessary to revise the story of American history? Why or why not?

4. Have students watch the film Surviving Columbus: The Story of the Pueblo People. What does this documentary add to their understanding of how American history has unfolded for Native American Indian people? Does this documentary expand their notions of who and what Native American Indian people are? About how Native American Indian people live? Why the title Surviving Columbus? What is unique about the Pueblo experience of colonialism?

5. Leonard Peltier is a Native American Indian activist and part of the Red Power and American Indian movements. He has been imprisoned since 1977 for the deaths of two FBI agents, despite the fact that it has been proven that much of the evidence against him was manufactured or is inconsistent with witness testimony. Show students the film Incident at Oglala and discuss. Why has every sitting president since the time of Peltier’s imprisonment refused to pardon him or have him released for humanitarian reasons (Peltier has a number of serious medical conditions which are not being well treated in prison)?

6. Historic images of American Indians involve at least three perspectives: the viewer who sees the image, the producer who creates the image, and the subject of the image. Ask students to watch old westerns or research images available online (e.g., “before” and “after” photos showing American Indian children “civilized” by being placed into boarding schools). What do they think is the perspective of the producer, consumer, and subject? What are their motives in helping create such images? How did such images work to reinforce or change stereotypes of American Indians? Excellent sources for still photos from the Indian Schools can be found at:

• http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/erdrich/boarding/gallery.htm
• http://www.hanksville.org/sand/intellect/gof.html
• http://www.californiaindianeducation.org/indian_boarding_schools/

Other photographic sources include:

• https://www.facebook.com/pages/Native-American-Indian-Old- Photos/10150102703945578?sk=photos_stream
• http://www.archives.gov/research/native-americans/pictures/
• http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Pictures/American-Indians-00.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_S._Curtis
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2309215/Native-American-Indian-pictures-influence-settlers.html

1. Ask students to compare and contrast images of American Indian women in Lakota Woman and Pochahantas (Disney, 1995). How accurately do these films portray American Indian life in general and American Indian women in particular? Discuss them in relation to what students have read about these issues in their text.

2. Ask students to analyze slang terms for Native American Indians. For example: Red, Squaw, Apple (i.e., “red” on the outside but “white” on the inside), Casino-owner, Chug (possibly refers to alcoholism), and Tontos. Research the derivation of  these terms? To what areas of life do they pertain (e.g., religious beliefs, food eaten)? How do these terms reinforce stereotypes about American Indians? How do they blur differences between American Indian tribes? How do they help shape people’s perceptions of American Indians? What are key themes that emerge in the students’ analyses of slang terms as they relate to the book? A good and fairly comprehensive discussion of slang terms for Native American Indians can be found at: http://www.rsdb.org/race/native_americans.

3. Watch the movie Rabbit Proof Fence and read Mary Crow Dog’s essay again. Discuss similarities and differences between the situation of Australian Aborigines and American Indians.

4. There has been considerable controversy over when and how Native American Indians migrated to North America. Estimates of arrival range from more than 30,000 years before the present to 14,000 years ago. Have students discuss the political and social implications of the various theories of Native American Indian migration (the Land Bridge theory and the Solutrean theory are two of the most widely recognized). Why is it important that history recount a story where Native American Indians migrated to North America rather than originating in North America.

5. Have students discuss the concept of coercive acculturation as outside agents practiced it in the Indian Schools and on reservations. Are there any programs or practices that continue the coercive acculturation of Native American Indians today? You can discuss the issue of Indian gaming here, particularly the point that non-tribal non-reservation interests control most profits and management. Some good sources for information online include the following:

• http://www.indiangaming.com/home/
• http://www.nigc.gov/
• http://www.narf.org/pubs/misc/gaming.html
• http://melbams.lili.org/files/melbams/Presentation%201.pdf
• http://www.bluecorncomics.com/gaming.htm

1. The 1960s and 1970s were a period of considerable activism on the part of many groups of Native American Indians; however, that activism has become fragmented and bureaucratized since the 1980s. Have students research some of the Native American Indian activist groups and discuss how and why activism has changed form. What is the nature of Native American Indian activism today? How is today’s Native American Indian activist different from the activist of the 1960s or 1970s? How are activist groups and social movements different? For instance, the American Indian Movement (AIM), which was powerful and well-integrated in the 1970s, had become fragmented into two major competing groups. Some good online sources of information include:

• http://culturalpolitics.net/social_movements/indian
• http://www.civilrights.org/resources/civilrights101/native.html
• http://www.historyandtheheadlines.abc-clio.com/ContentPages/ContentPage.aspx?entryId=1171695&currentSection=1161468
• http://www.narf.org/about/about_whatwedo.html
• http://www.knowitall.org/roadtrip/cr-html/facts/timelines/na/index.cfm
• http://www.framingredpower.org/narrative/aim/

1. Have students compare and contrast the American Indian/Red Power movement with the Black Power movement. What are the critical elements the movements share? What are the critical differences? Why would there be these specific differences? Using the ideas from the book of how assimilation occurs and is determined by the moment in time when contact occurs, can the differences in these groups’ approaches to social justice and economic freedom be explained by the dominant themes that Healey introduces in Chapter 5 (noted below)?

2. “The nature of dominant-minority group relations at any point in time is largely a function of the characteristics of the society as a whole. The situation of a minority group will reflect the realities of everyday social  livesand particularly the subsistence technology” (p. 102).

3. “The contact situation—the conditions under which groups first come together —is the single most significant factor in the creation of minority-group status. The nature of the contact situation has long-lasting consequences for the minority group and the extent of racial or ethnic stratification, the levels of racism and prejudice, the possibilities for assimilation and pluralism, and virtually every other aspect of the dominant-majority relationship” (p. 102).

4. This chapter presents information about the contemporary problems facing Native American Indian groups. Many of these issues surround land and water, particularly as some of the richest mining, timbering, and natural resource supplies lie on and under tribal land. How are the tribes handling the demands for access to their resources? Are social problems such as poverty on the reservations being addressed using the resources generated by grazing, mineral, and water rights being rented out to non-Native interests? What are the most critical issues facing Native American Indians in the 21st century? Are these problems restricted to North American Indians or are they pan-tribal or global in scope?

1. Show your students a well-made documentary on Latino Americans and discuss it in relation to the concepts and theories in the textbook. Three good documentaries include:

• Chicano! History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement (1996, PBS; film is available for purchase from National Latino Communication Center). This is a superb documentary which addresses, among other topics, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, labor reform, Cesar Chávez and the United Farm Workers, Crystal City-based La Raza Unida, issues of education and political power of Mexican Americans. [NOTE: This is a four-hour feature, so you’ll probably want to select specific clips to show to your students.]
• La Ciudad (1998, PBS; film is available for purchase from Zeitgeist Films). La Ciudad illustrates issues of immigration and acculturation through the personal stories of illegal immigrants from Mexico and Latin America as they move to New York City. (88 minutes.)
• Mixed Feelings (PBS) explores the relationship between Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California, and how each is shaping the other. According to the co-producer, Phillip Rodriguez, “These two cities, two very different cultural, economic conditions, sensibilities of these two cities, two civilizations, seem totally irreconcilable. And yet, that reconciliation is what we Mexican-Americans are about” (http://www.latinola.com/). He also says that it “challenges many assumptions and approaches to U.S.-Mexico representation.” Also see http://www.mixedfeelings.org/html/description.html and http://www.losangelesfilm.org/film/filmmakers.html. You might ask student what concepts and theories from the book seem applicable for understanding the film-maker’s perspective.

1. Analyze the Rage Against the Machine (RATM) song “People of the Sun.” What is the band’s perspective? How does the band characterize the Spaniards’ take-over in Central America in 1516? How does this relate to more contemporary colonization efforts, including those by the U.S. government? (You may wish to note the line, “Blood drenched get offensive like Tet” as a reference to Vietnam.) How do students interpret the line, “whip snapped ya back/Ya spine cracked for tobacco”? How does RATM describe Los Angeles (“city of angels”?) in terms of “ethnic cleansing”? [Some suggest this line is a reference to California’s Proposition 187.] If the musicians from RATM were giving an interview about the meaning of this song, what concepts and theories from the book might they find useful in discussing it?

2. Analyze the Rage Against the Machine (RATM) song “Maria.” What is the perspective of the RATM regarding illegal border crossings, sweatshops/ maquiladoras, and other issues facing immigrants from Mexico? How do students interpret the line, “He whips her/Her soul chained to his will/My job is to kill if you forget to take your pill”?  If the musicians from RATM were giving an interview about the meaning of this song, what concepts and theories from the book might they find useful in discussing it? Related to this activity, you might ask students to investigate recent deaths of those attempting to cross into the U.S. from Mexico. What are the most frequent causes of crossing deaths? What role do border smugglers, or “coyotes,” play in illegal immigration? What are the official (i.e., government) and unofficial responses to these deaths in both Mexico and the U.S.?

3. Have small groups of students analyze feature films for their portrayals of Latinos, including Latino Americans. Films might include (but are not limited to): American Me (1992, directed by Edward James Olmos), And the Earth Did Not Swallow Him (1994, directed by Severo Perez), The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982, directed by Robert M. Young), Born in East L.A. (1987, directed by Cheech Marin), Captain from Castile (1947, directed by Henry King), Carlito’s Way (1993, directed by Brian de Palma), Cisco Kid (the series of films from the 1950s;remade in 1994), Crossover Dreams (1985, directed by Leon Ichaso), Duel in the Sun (1946, directed by King Vidor), El Mariachi (1992, directed by Robert Rodriguez), El Norte (1983, directed by Gregory Nava), Mi Familia (My Family) (1995, directed by Gregory Nava), Vida Loca (My Crazy Life) (1994, directed by Allison Anders), West Side Story (1961, directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins), and Crash (2004, directed by Paul Haggis) . What major themes or stereotypes emerge in these films? Do the ideas and images change over time? Have students discuss their findings in relationship to the ideas from the text.

4. Ask students to role-play that they are recent immigrants who want to apply for particular kinds of visas or become citizens. Ask them to find out what they need to do to attain their goal. You might assign them a particular status (e.g., low-skilled worker, a highly skilled worker seeking an “extraordinary ability” visa, a student who wants to study in the U.S., a professor who wants to teach in the U.S.). Have them locate and complete the basic paperwork for their applications. What is required to qualify for these different types of visas? What are the requirements for naturalization (e.g., knowledge of U.S. history, good moral character)? How much time and money does this process usually take? Related to these issues, what are the grounds for asylum? How did the Violence Against Women Act change previously existing immigration law? Under what conditions can immigrants be admitted, refused or deported?

Types of visas that you might assign include:

• Visitor Visas
• Specialty Worker Visas
• Student Visas
• Extraordinary Ability Visas
• Visas for Temporary Nonagricultural Workers
• Religious Worker Visas
• Visas for Foreign Media Representatives
• A, G, and NATO Visas for Foreign Government Representatives
• Visas for Aliens Assisting Law Enforcement
• Visas for Athletes and Entertainers
• Visas for Artists and Entertainers
• Visas for Exchange Visitors
• Nonimmigrant Visas for Foreign Medical Graduates
• Visas for Irish Nationals
• Visas for Fiancées of U.S. Citizens
• Visas for International Cultural Exchange Visitors
• Visas for Registered Nurses
• Visas for Spouses and Minor Children of Permanent Residents
• Visas for Adopted Foreign Orphans

1. Ask students to interview recent immigrants about their experiences coming to this country. What motivated them to come here? What barriers did they face? What helped them with this process? What are their views on assimilation? Additionally, you might ask students to interview others about their attitudes regarding immigration. Are certain types of immigrants more desirable or deserving than others? Where did the subjects learn their ideas about immigration?

2. Ask your students to break into small groups and have them debate the benefits and costs of granting amnesty to undocumented migrants in the United States. Have them list the benefits and costs on a sheet of paper. Then, as a class, debate the benefits and costs based on these small group discussions. As an entire class, see if you can come to a consensus about this policy issue. What do they feel should be done about this problem? How would they address it, now that they have analyzed the costs and benefits?

3. Have your students view the film, “Yo soy Boricua, pa’que tu lo sepas!” (2006). This documentary examines the history of New York’s annual Puerto Rican Day parade. Actress Rosie Perez directs and stars in this documentary about the immigration of Puerto Ricans to the U.S. mainland. Have your students respond to the following: 

• How does assimilation theory apply to Puerto Ricans?
• Discuss Puerto Rican citizenship status in the U.S.
• Compare the socio-economic realities of Puerto Ricans compared to another Spanish speaking immigrant group.

1. Have your students view the film, “Harvest of Loneliness“ (2010), directed by professors Gilbert G. Gonzalez (University of California, Irvine ) and Vivian Price (California State University). This film depicts the Bracero Program, a labor contract agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that propelled and encouraged the circulatory migration of about 4 million male sojourners to work in agribusiness during WWII and until the mid 1960’s. Assign a paper to your students that responds to the following, after they have viewed the film:

2. Conduct an Internet search using the following key terms (feel free to organize them in different ways): e.g., Temporary Foreign Worker, International Contract Labor program/s. Then, write about what you found. How are the temporary workers seen by or “treated” within the works/sites that you found? What did you expect and what did you find?

Discuss what you find when you enter “Bracero Program” in a search engine. How does what you find compare to what you saw in the film?

1. Find someone either you know directly or an acquaintance of a friend who immigrated (e.g., a refugee, whether for economic or political reasons) in the first half of the last century (1900-1949). Talk to the person about his or experience as an immigrant of that time period. Set up basic questions: place of origin, immigration permissions acquired before emigrating, reception in the U.S. once they were here, social program/s available to them (i.e., English classes, refugee assistance…). Compare what this person shares with you with what you have read and or viewed within this course section in regards to contemporary immigrant groups.

2. Go to the United States Census Bureau site. Find the variables/questions presented to those taking the most recent survey (in addition to the decennial Census, you will see information from the annual American Community Survey, conducted annually by the Census Bureau). What questions are asked about national origin and race? Now, research, via the same site or via Internet search (choosing a reputable source) when the Hispanic category first appeared on the U.S. decennial Census? What does this finding say about our understanding of the racialization of Latinos?

1. Show your students a well-made documentary on Asian Americans and discuss it in relation to the concepts and theories in the textbook. Two interesting documentaries arel:

• No Hop Sing, No Bruce Lee: What Do You Do When None of Your Heroes Look Like You? (Available from http://www.eai.org) In this short documentary, Asian American actors discuss ethnic identity, mass media stereotyping, and their subservient roles in the mass media.
• Between Worlds. This hour-long documentary explores the experiences of Vietnamese Americans who left Vietnam in 1992 through the Orderly Departure Program. The film follows them from a refugee camp in the Philippines to their arrival in different regions of this country. It documents their lives for five years as they struggle to learn English, pursue their education, and find employment.

1. Ask your students to consider the various socio-economic statistics for each particular segment of the Asian American community (as listed in the text). Now ask them to consider why some populations tend to have greater wealth than others, higher rates of literacy and education, and lower rates of poverty. How do U.S. foreign policy decisions play a role in these economic statistics?

2. Watch the film Joy Luck Club (1993, directed by Wayne Wang) and discuss it in terms of relevant concepts and theories from the text.

3. Ask your students to research the wide and varied cultural differences in the Asian American populations (Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, South Korean, etc.). Ask them to explore language, “homeland” geography, music, literature, religion, foods, family expectations and organization, clothing and dress, gender roles, and other significant factors of culture. Ask them to present their findings to the class. Then ask the class, “Given these significant differences, why are Asian Americans thought of as one monolithic group?”

4. Ask your students to view the film, Crash (2004). Have them identify Asian actors and the roles that they play in the film. Have students apply theories on racialization and model-minorities. How do these theories inform students’ views ofcharacters in the film? Are there any roles that offer surprising ends? Provide examples.

5. Look to the Network TV daily line-up of shows. Identify shows that focus on Asian families. How many are found? How are those families depicted?

6. Look through the Network TV daily line-up of shows. Identify shows that feature a leading Asian actor. Share what the characteristics of these characters are. How many shows did you find? How many characters did you identify?

7. Look to the U.S. Census and find out what categories/labels Asians have had over the life of the decennial U.S. Census. What were the race and national origin options? How have these changed over the years?

8. Research the origins of the Asian panethnic identity. When and where did it originate? What was the purpose of this category? Who were the actors involved in its creation? Make the connection to the U.S. decennial Census and discuss this in group.

1. View and discuss “The New Americans” documentary available from PBS.org. What surprises students the most about this documentary?  Take time to investigate similarities shared between your students and the immigrants featured in the video.  For example, you could discuss Ventura Flores’ home altar and religious beliefs.

2. Ask your students to interview someone who is a new immigrant to this country.  He/she should ask: Why did you come to the U.S.? Was it difficult making that decision and why? Did you know anyone when you came here? Why did you come to this part of the country? Do you miss where you came from and why? Do you believe in assimilation (explain)? What challenges do immigrants to the U.S. face? What suggestions would they give to the government officials to make the transition of immigrants smoother?

3. Get literature from the refugee relief agencies in your area.  Have students design a service project (or participate in one that already exists).

• A visit to an English as a Second Language class (either at a school or community center)
• A visit to a place of worship that has a large immigrant population within the congregation
• A visit to a United Way or other local agency that assists immigrants in their resettlement

Possible activities include:

• Interviews
• Combination of observations and integrated participation
• Tutoring
• Volunteering services
• Seminar/discussion with immigrants and/or staff at a particular agency or center
• Follow-up activities, such as letters, photo displays at school, or presentations to students who did not participate in the program

Ask students to keep a weekly journal of their experiences.

1. Have students examine the rhetoric about immigrants in a variety of new sources.  How do the sources differ?  How are they the same? How does that language shape students’ perception of reality regarding immigrants and immigration issues?

2. Have students pretend to be in charge of U.S. immigration.  Have them work in small groups to draft sample immigration policies.  Ask students to explain their policies, discussing both costs and benefits to U.S. society.

3. Set up a classroom debate regarding immigration issues.  Ask students to consider the following questions:  “To what degree, if any, do you think that the United States should limit the number of immigrants allowed to enter the country? To what degree, if any, do you think that the government should restrict the number of refugees who can set up residence in America?”  Ask students to defend their answers, being specific about the distinction between types of immigrants and refugees (e.g., high skill, political).

4. Have students find and then interview refugees or immigrants that came to the U.S. before the1960s.  Have students ask about the resources available to immigrants as new arrivals: i.e., host families, access to free or subsidized education for them and their children/parents. Now have the students compare these findings to what is available to contemporary immigrants.

5. Have students research language retention by immigrants of the last century and contemporary immigrants. Have them discuss what they found.

6. Research deportations in American history. What groups have been deported? Provide examples.

7. Discuss contemporary immigration. Then have students discuss the rhetoric surrounding contemporary immigration. Have them conduct an online search to find, for example, blogs or websites that pertain to or speak about contemporary immigration. Create a content analysis of the terms, labels, and arguments made as found within your sources. What are the most common or recurring terms, labels, and arguments?

1. Do some online research on women’s suffrage. What do you find for the U.S.? What do you find for one other industrialized nation? What do you find for one developing nation? Compare your findings and discuss according to known historical context of each nation (i.e., religion, former colony, and so on).

2. Ask yourself, who cooks in your family? Is it women, men, or both? Discuss gender roles in terms of social norms and what you may observe within your personal experience. Are men and/or women working in the kitchen of your favorite eatery/ies? Write a brief response and discuss your recollections in a group. Make sure to apply course terms to your discussion.

3. Conduct some research on male rapes. What did you find? Consider social stigma. How does the stigma apply to each gender? Explain by applying key terms from the course textbook. Which gender experiences this crime most often? Does society treat all victims of such crimes equally? Provide examples.

4. Consider the glass ceiling and glass escalator. Provide examples for each term by searching online and/or from personal experience. How do the glass ceiling and the glass escalator work in the U.S.? Are there laws to protect employees from these types of processes? Explain the laws that exist and what if any are the remedies provided in the legislation and limitations of such remedies.

1. Consider sexual identity and sexual orientation. Can one of these exist for someone without the other? Does one have to identify as homosexual or heterosexual? Explain by providing support for your arguments and discuss in small groups.

2. View the film Milk (2008). Consider the following:

• How did Milk identify before arriving in San Francisco?
• How did Milk identify once he was in San Francisco?
• What was the political climate for Milk in San Francisco?
• Identify scenes of homophobia within the film, as well as internalized homophobia and coming out.
• Of the issues presented in the film, which have been resolved within American society and which remain to be resolved?

1. View the film The Buyers Club (2013).

• What key terms do you feel define Ron’s feelings about homosexuality?
• How did Ron react as the movie progressed?Ask students to provide examples.

1. Through the readings you have learned something about the long history of same-sex relations. What are some of the forces behind modern-day rationales for homophobia? Provide examples to support your arguments\. Consider the retracted military policy of Don’t ask, Don’t tell as well as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

1. Research the Scottish independence referendum of 2014. What is the history behind this referendum? What groups make up the dominant-minority relationship in this case? Provide some examples from both sides of this referendum. In group, share what you found.

2. Consider neocolonialism in the dominant-minority relationships in South Africa, Australia, and Hawaii. How is neocolonialism understood by non-academics? What did you know about this topic before this class? What would you share about this topic with someone you met on a train? Provide examples.

3. Research the term ”transnationalism.” How would you apply this term to one dominant-minority relationship you have learned about during this section? Consider nations experiencing international immigration to fill labor shortages. How are these immigrants received and treated in the host nation by natives and laws of the land?

4. Conduct an Internet search of one of the nations experiencing dominant-minority issues. Are there any natural resources involved? Labor shortages? Birthrate decline? Vestiges of colonialism? Provide examples and apply course terms to support your arguments/findings.

1. Have students write about their own prejudices in class or as part of a homework assignment. Have them reflect back on what they wrote. Next, have them consider what they’ve learned throughout the course. How have their prejudices changed or been affirmed or overturned?

2. How would students summarize the key ideas of the class? How has the course changed their ideas about race or about different groups of people? For example, have their prejudices changed at all? If so, how? To what do they attribute that change? If not, why do they suppose that is? What surprised them most about what they learned? Did anything surprise them?

3. This text has used a great deal of information from the most recent U.S. decennial Census. Have students look online (http://www.census.gov) and read about the change in racial and ethnic categories used by the government. Perhaps the biggest change is allowing people to select all racial categories that apply to them. What do the students think of this change? What about the categories overall? How is this classification scheme useful? What are its limitations? (For example, you might look at racial classification in Brazil. [NOTE: You might want to start your conversation by asking about what it means to be “white” in the United States. It’s often interesting to hear differing ideas from dominant and minority students.] You might also look at how Census categories have changed over time. For example, in 1860 the Census offered three categories (i.e., white, black, mulatto). In 1890, it offered eight possible categories: white, black, mulatto, quadroon, octoroon, Chinese, Japanese, and Indian. How do students understand these changes in racial classification over time in light of what they’ve learned? How do these categories reflect the social construction of race?)

4. What information in the 2010 census stands out to the students? Have them examine the economic data generated by the latest census. Have racial disparities in income and wealth been reduced? Why not?

5. People sometimes homogenize women into one large group, yet there are approximately 3 billion women on the planet. Ask students to discuss the ways in which women’s experiences are alike and different based on race, ethnicity, and class. In other words, using what they know from their text, how do these variables affect women in unique ways? You might also ask students to consider how women’s experiences have changed and continue to change over time. Related to this, you might ask how men and women’s experiences vary by race, ethnicity, and class.

6. Research the California “gender neutral bathrooms” law. When did you first learn about this law? Who was behind its creation? Find out if any other states have adopted similar laws. What are some of the limitations/issues with this law? Consider  locations,  budgets, campus size.

7. When you hear the term “the browning of America,” what are your thoughts? Try to find the beginnings/origins of this term/ideology. What did you find? How is this term used.